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ANDOVER — Despite difficult union contract negotiations, the Andover Education Association and School Committee were able to come to an agreement earlier this week.
Andover’s Finance Committee is praising the School Committee for sticking to Andover’s “long-range financial plan” during negotiations which in total lasted more than 60 hours.
The School Committee and Town Manager have been criticized by the union for being “unwilling to break from funding formulas and traditions that clearly no longer work for the Andover Public Schools.”
The statement came after the Finance Committee’s meeting Wednesday night.
“We are thankful that the School Committee held steadfast in their commitment to the agreed upon parameters and principles of Andover’s Long Range Financial Plan which currently allocates a 3.75% annual increase to the approved annual School budget and a 2.75% annual increase, to the approved Town Operating budget,” said the finance committee’s statement.
“This is the agreement to the mandate all the town boards have mandated and how we have been operating for at least the past eight years. This has been a fiscally responsible way to approach the budget allowing Andover to offer excellent town and school services and reach budget consensus going into Town Meeting.”
The tentative contract increases pay for teachers by 15.5% and by 34% for instructional assistants, each over four years.
The School Committee included in their statement announcing the contract that they will be considering cuts to programs, services, and school department staff beginning in the next school year as a result of the contract. The Committee added that without cuts the contract would result in a budget that grows more than 3.75%.
“As the SC works through their budget process for FY25 we know there will be difficult decisions that need to be made,” said the Finance Committee in their statement.
Speaking at the Thursday night meeting, Town Manager Andrew Flanagan said the idea of setting the budget increase is so that the town and school can plan ahead.
He said this financial plan should be seen as the foundation for “budget decisions.”
“Having been in the room with them for 62 hours and watching them draw on whiteboards what had to be reduced, they had something to be leaned back on,” said Flanagan.
The statement continued that using money from free cash for ongoing expenses is against Department of Revenue guidance and against town policy.
“The reason is that using one-time money for operations is fiscally irresponsible and could impact Andover’s financial health,” said the Finance Committee’s statement.
During the meeting, Finance Committee members also talked about the importance of updating taxpayers on the financial side of decisions.
“We are not just here to comment explicitly on articles, we are here to inform Town Meeting,” Finance Committee member Andy McBrien said.
The Finance Committee recently voted to disapprove of continuing to fund design work on the proposed $450 million high school, in a moment of disagreement with the Select Board.
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